The Goblin of Fire
The first adventure
Our adventure begins with the party attending a concert in Xanu when the smell of smoke fills the air. It does not seem to be strong enough to be from inside the theatre and a call for help from outside reiterates this assumption. The concert is halted and the audience pile outside only to see the local bard's college, whose pupils were participating in the concert, has been set ablaze.
Plot points/Scenes
Discovery of the college ablaze and the struggle to put it out.
Interaction of the party with Mayor Goneril Coltana of Xanu and the principle of the college. The mayor provides the hook to investigate the incident. The principle provides additional information.
Examination of the crime scene. Party learns that the incident was definitely not an accident.
Questioning witnesses and enquiring may lead them to learn of a Professor who recently went missing. The party may be sympathetic towards this missing person or suspect them. Either way is incentive to try and locate the person and to try to establish a source for the fire.
This person's last known whereabouts and it is his home. There seems to be no sign of forced entry but when the party manage to gain entry there seems to have been a struggle of some kind. Even some drag marks on the floor.
Following the drag marks they find they lead to kart tracks. Following the kart tracks they lead to a series of caves known as The Calling Caverns
Outside the caves standing guard are two goblins. The party may decide to fight, sneak past, talk to or even manipulate these goblins. Once inside the cave, the party will have to use checks to navigate the caverns. Or if someone loots the goblins, one may have a map. There will be three paths, one direct, one flanking and one leading upwards, all eventually giving different angles on their destination.
The party will eventually reach a room containing 5 or so goblins as well as the hostage. The hostage may be at risk if they go in loud. They may need to find a peaceful or alternative way of freeing the hostage. If the party are murderous then one goblin will beg for his life and reveal that they were hired by a higher ranking goblin to take the hostage.
Upon success, the party have either killed all goblins and rescued the hostage who will relay the same information of the goblins' hiring, or they have spared the goblins and have secured the hostage anyway.
The hostage will reveal who he is and why he was kidnapped and how he was involved with the fire at the Bard's college despite not being there.
He will lead the party to the lair of the higher ranking goblin, who will be joined by 2 more goblin guards. The encounter that follows is entirely dependant on the party. When a goblin guard goes down, the other goblins (if spared earlier) will attack the party from behind.
The main goal for the party is to interrogate the higher ranking goblin, make him confess, and either kill him or take him prisoner to make him answer for his crime.
If killed, the party escorts the professor back to town and the Mayor for a reward. If brought to justice, the Mayor passes swift judgement on the goblin since he will confess to the crime of kidnapping and the organised destruction of the bard college. The party then receive a reward from the Mayor.
Themes
Goblins.
Bards.
Caves.
Structure
Exposition
Prior to the plot beginning, the bard's college, specifically one professor in particular, had refused the higher ranking goblins' daughter entry to study in the college. The college did not realise her father was a high ranking goblin who began plotting his revenge on behalf of his daughter. He hired goblin mercenaries to kidnap the professor and hold him hostage and then when no one was brave enough to come looking for him, he sent the goblins to burn down the college.
Conflict
The party is hired by the Mayor of Xanu to investigate a fire in the bard college and to investigate the disappearance of a professor.
Rising Action
This person's last known whereabouts and it is his home. There seems to be no sign of forced entry but when the party manage to gain entry there seems to have been a struggle of some kind. Even some drag marks on the floor.
Following the drag marks they find they lead to kart tracks. Following the kart tracks they lead to a series of caves known as The Calling Caverns
Outside the caves standing guard are two goblins. The party may decide to fight, sneak past, talk to or even manipulate these goblins. Once inside the cave, the party will have to use checks to navigate the caverns. Or if someone loots the goblins, one may have a map. There will be three paths, one direct, one flanking and one leading upwards, all eventually giving different angles on their destination.
The party will eventually reach a room containing 5 or so goblins as well as the hostage. The hostage may be at risk if they go in loud. They may need to find a peaceful or alternative way of freeing the hostage. If the party are murderous then one goblin will beg for his life and reveal that they were hired by a higher ranking goblin to take the hostage.
Upon success, the party have either killed all goblins and rescued the hostage who will relay the same information of the goblins' hiring, or they have spared the goblins and have secured the hostage anyway.
The hostage will reveal who he is and why he was kidnapped and how he was involved with the fire at the Bard's college despite not being there.
Climax
He will lead the party to the lair of the higher ranking goblin, who will be joined by 2 more goblin guards. The encounter that follows is entirely dependant on the party. When a goblin guard goes down, the other goblins (if spared earlier) will attack the party from behind.
The main goal for the party is to interrogate the higher ranking goblin, make him confess, and either kill him or take him prisoner to make him answer for his crime.
Falling Action
The goblin confesses to his treachery and the party must choose to let justice prevail or take the law into their own hands.
Resolution
If killed, the party escorts the professor back to town and the Mayor for a reward. If brought to justice, the Mayor passes swift judgement on the goblin since he will confess to the crime of kidnapping and the organised destruction of the bard college. The party then receive a reward from the Mayor.
Components
Goals
The goals for the party is to establish the perpetrator of the fire and their reason for it. Another goal they will be given is to investigate the disappearance of the professor who hasn't been seen or heard from in days.
Hooks
The interlinking of both goals, find one and you may find the other.
Stakes
The perpetrator may strike again and possibly hurt or kill people next time, they need to be stopped!
The professor's disappearance may mean he is involved somehow or could be a victim. Finding him is imperative to figuring out the whole truth.
Moral Quandaries
Choosing to spare the goblins and bring them to justice, or choosing to kill and take justice into their own hands.
Red Herrings
The party may suspect the missing professor is the perpetrator of the crime, perhaps having been enraged or having gone mad in his old age.
Relations
Adversaries
The high ranking goblin.
Goblin guards and mercenaries.
Backdrops
Locations
Xanu
The professors' rickety old shack.
The Calling Caverns
Threats
Un-named goblin mercenaries.
Higher ranking goblin.
Cavern Casualties.
Encounters
Talking to NPC's.
Combat/engagement.
Investigation.
Planning.
Past Events
The cavern used to be a mine but many years ago the mine ran out of ore. The series of caverns have been known to harbour bandit gangs, fugitives and other criminals in the modern era.
Plot type
Starter One-Shot
Related Characters
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